Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

She said: “My Lord: how will I have a son when no mortal has touched me?” He said: “Thus is God; he creates what He wills; when He decrees a matter, He but says to it: ‘Be thou,’ and it is.

قَالَتْ رَبِّ اَنّٰى يَكُونُ ل۪ي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْن۪ي بَشَرٌۜ قَالَ كَذٰلِكِ اللّٰهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَٓاءُۜ اِذَا قَضٰٓى اَمْراً فَاِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ
Qalat rabbi anna yakoonu leewaladun walam yamsasnee basharun qala kathaliki Allahuyakhluqu ma yashao itha qada amranfa-innama yaqoolu lahu kun fayakoon
#wordmeaningroot
1qālatShe saidقول
2rabbiMy Lordربب
3annāhowاني
4yakūnuis [it]كون
5for me
6waladuna boyولد
7walamand (has) not
8yamsasnītouch(ed) meمسس
9basharunany manبشر
10qālaHe saidقول
11kadhālikiThus
12l-lahuAllah
13yakhluqucreatesخلق
14what
15yashāuHe willsشيا
16idhāWhen
17qaḍāHe decreesقضي
18amrana matterامر
19fa-innamāthen only
20yaqūluHe saysقول
21lahuto it
22kunBeكون
23fayakūnuand it becomesكون
  • Aisha Bewley

    He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown, and will be one of the righteous,’

  • Progressive Muslims

    She said: "My Lord, how can I have a son when no human has touched me" He said: "It is thus that God creates what He wills, when He decrees a command, He merely says to it "Be", and it is. "

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Mary exclaimed! "O My Lord, How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said, "Just as Allah creates everyone according to His Laws (3:40). When Allah decrees a matter, it starts happening." (In the repressive society Mary had to keep her wedding confidential in the family).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    She said: “My Lord: how will I have a son when no mortal has touched me?” He said: “Thus is God; he creates what He wills; when He decrees a matter, He but says to it: ‘Be thou,’ and it is.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    She said: "My Lord, how can I have a son when no human being has been with me?" He said: "It is thus that God creates what He wills, when He decrees a command, He merely says to it 'Be,' and it is."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    She said, "My Lord, how can I have a son when no human has touched me?" He said, "It is thus that God creates what He wills, when He decrees a command, He merely says to it 'Be,' and it becomes."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    She said, "My Lord, how can I have a son, when no man has touched me?" He said, "GOD thus creates whatever He wills. To have anything done, He simply says to it, 'Be,' and it is.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    She said: "How can I have a son, O Lord, when no man has touched me?" He said: "That is how God creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He says 'Be', and it is.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" said, "Such is Allah; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Said she: "O my Sustainer! How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me?" answered: "Thus it is: God creates what He wills when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be' - and it is.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has ever touched me?' The angel answered: Thus shall it be. Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decides something, He merely says: "Be" and it is.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Maryam asked: "How shall I have a son, O Allah, my Creator, when no man has touched me? She was told: "Thus does Allah create what He will; when He decrees a thing He only says ‘Be’ and it is".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Mary said: "O Lord, how is it possible for me to have a child while none has touched me?" The Lord replied: “That is the way God creates. When He wants to create something, He simply says “be” and there it is created.”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" - and it is.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, 'Be,' and it is!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Mary wondered, "My Lord! How can I have a child when no man has ever touched me?" An angel replied, “So will it be. Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He simply tells it, ‘Be!’ And it is!

  • Taqi Usmani

    She said: "O my Lord, how shall I have a son while no human has ever touched me?" Said He: “That is how Allah creates what He wills. When He decides a matter, He simply says to it ‘Be’, and it comes to be.

  • Abdul Haleem

    She said, ‘My Lord, how can I have a son when no man has touched me?’ said, ‘This is how God creates what He will: when He has ordained something, He only says, "Be", and it is.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    'Lord, ' said Mary, 'how shall I have a son seeing no mortal has touched me?' 'Even so,' God said, God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing He does but say to it "Be," and it is.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    She said, 'Lord! how can I have a son, when man has not yet touched me?' He said, 'Thus God creates what He pleaseth. When He decrees a matter He only says BE and it is;

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    She said, "Lord! How can I have a son, when man has not yet touched me?" He said, "Thus Allah creates what He pleases. When He decrees a matter He only says: BE! And it is;

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    She said, "Lord! However will I have a child, and no mortal has touched me?" He said, "Thus Allah creates whatever He decides. When He has decreed a Command, then He only says to it, ‘Be!' so it is!."

  • George Sale

    She answered, Lord, how shall I have a son, since a man hath not touched me? The Angel said, so God createth that which he pleaseth: When he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, be, and it is:

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah creates what He wills: When He has decreed a Plan, He only says to it, ‘Be’. And it is!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    She said, `My Lord! how can I and whence shall I have a child while no man has yet touched me (in conjugal relationship)?' (The Lord) said, `Such are the ways of Allâh, He creates what He will. When He decrees a thing He simply commands it, "Be" and it comes to be.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    She said, ‘My Lord, how shall I have a child seeing that no human has ever touched me?’ He said, ‘So it is that Allah creates whatever He wishes. When He decides on a matter He just says to it ‘‘Be!’’ and it is.